Announcing or station indicator for railroads and street-cars.



-No. 882,675. PATBNTED MAR. 24, 1908.

W. S. GUNTER & O. E. WELTON. ANN-OUNGING OR STATION INDICATOR FOR.RAILRUADS AND STREET CARS.

APPLICATION FILED 00T.18. 1908. EENBWED JAN- 30, 1908.'

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W; S. GU-NTER & G. E. WELTON. ANNOUNGING 0R STATION INDICATOR FORRAILROADS AND STREET CARS.

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(June/44 60 flttozmuao No. 882,675 PATENTED MAR. 24, 1908. W. S. GUNTER& O. E. WELTON.

ANNOUNCING OR STATION INDICATOR FOR RAILROADS AND STREET CARS.

' APPLICATION FILED 001'. 18. 1906. RENEWED JAN. 30. 1908.

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T1Er

arl ozne aao UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

Will/1AM S. (ilN'llC'R. ()l SWHDEBURG, AND (ARRIE E.WELI.ON, OFFAIRBURY, NEBRASKA.

ANNOUNCING OR STATION INDICATOR FOR RAIfLROADS AND STREET-CARS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented March 24, 1908.

Application filed October 18, 1906, Serial No. 339,479. Renewed January30, 1908. Serial No. 413,467.

To all whom it may concern:

Beit known that we, WILLIAM S. GUNTER, a citizen of the United States,residing at I Swedeburg, Saunders county, Nebraskaand .act descriptionofthe invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to whichit 'ap ertains to make and use the same.

his invention relates to improvements in announcing or stationindicators for railroads and street cars; I The object of the inventionis to provide a device of this character, by means of which stations orstopping places may be indicated to the passengers in a car as the sameapproaches said. stopping places, means bein provided whereby an alarmwill be sounde as each station is approached, thereby calling theattention of the assengers to the name dis layed by the indlcator.

he foregoing and other objects are accomplished by means of theconstruction illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which, I i

Figure 1 is a front elevation of a station indicator, constructed inaccordance with the invention; Fig. 2 is a similar view with the frontof the casing removed; Fig. 3 is a front elevation, on an enlarged scaleof the operating mechanism, the front of the casing and the indicatingapron being removed; Fig-4 is an end elevation of the operatingmechanism, the end of the casing being removed;

and Fig. 5 is-a detail sectional view taken on the line 55 of Fig. 3.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, 1 denotes thecasing of theindicator,.

apron-winding roll 4 and a lower apron-wind ing roll 5, upon which isadapted to be wound and unwound an Indicating apron 6 contamor any-othersuitable matter to be displayed by the indicator. Substantially midwaybetween the'upper and lower iwinding rolls 4 and 5 is journaled anoperating roller 7, said roller having adjacent to each end a series ofradially projecting pins or studs 8, which are adapted to engagesuitable perforations?) formed in the indicating apron 6, adjacent toeach edge of the same; On one'end of'the shaft 10 of the roller 7 isloosely mounted two operating beveled gears 12 and 13, said gears beingadapted to be alternately locked into engagement with shaft 10 by meansof a double-faced clutch 14, which is keyed to slide upon the shaft 10,betweensaid gears, and to be shifted into engagement with gear teeth 15on the adjacent inner faces of the gears. The clutch 14 is provided witha suitable shifting lever 16, which is pivotallymounted in the framework3 of the indicator and is connected to a suitable au-tomaticallyoperated mechanism, hereinafter to be described.

Meshing with the gears 12 and 13 is a bev- .eled gear 17, which ismounted on the upper end of a vertically-disposed driving shaft 18,revolubly mounted in the framework of the indicator casing, as shown. Onthe shaft 18, adjacent to its lower end is fixedly mounted a spur gearinion 19, which is engaged by a spur gear w eel 20, to which isconnected by 1 any suitable mechanism an operating spring 21, said gearand spring belng connected to a winding shaft 22 In the usual manner,

f which is journaled in the bottom of the cas ing and projects below thesame, and is provided with a suitable winding head or key 23, by meansof which the spring may be wound up.

On the shaft 10- of the operating roller is fixedly mounted a stop-disk24, said disk being provided with a stop notch 25, with which is adaptedto be engaged a lug or detent 26, which is arranged on one arm 27 of abell-crank lever 28, pivotally mounted in the framework of theindicator, as clearly shown in Fig. 5 of the drawings. Connected to theouter end of the arm 27 is an operating rod 29, the lower end of whichis pivotally connected to an armature 80, pivotally mounted on theframework 3, and adapted to be attracted by an electro-magnet 31,arranged in ing the names of the stations along the road,

- of the disk 24, whereby when the stop notch be engaged by the lug 26.

wheel 33, which is adapted to engage a worm .40 against movement by thespring 38.

the armature 30 is a coiled retracting spring I 32, which when themagnet 31 is demagnetized, will retract the armature 30,therebyelevating the rod 29 and the arm 27 of the. bell-crank lever,thus holding the lug or detent 26 into engagement with the periphery 25is brought 0 I posite to said lug or detent, the latter wille engagedwith said notch, thereby locking the shaft 10 against further movement.When the magnet 31 is ener. gized the armature 30 willbe attractedthereby, thus pulling down upon the rod 29 anddisengaging the lug 2-6from the notch 25 and permitting the operating mechanism to turn theshaft 10 and the parts connected thereto until the magnet is denergized,which is preferably done so as to permit the shaft to only make onerevolution or'until the notch 25 is again brought into position to Thedirection in which the shaft 10 and the operating roller 7 is turned iscontrolled by the clutch 14, which is brought into engagement with oneor the other of the gears 12 or 13, as will be understood, therebymoving the indicating apron either upwardly or downwardly across theview 0 ening in the casing.

Mounte on the shaft 10, between the gear wheel 12 and the stop-disk 24is a worm 34 on a governor shaft 35 journaled in the framework of thecasing, said governor shaft being rovided with fan blades 36, by meansof wh ch the movement ofthe operating mechanism is retarded.

Arranged in the casing 1 is a reversing mechanism 37, said mechanismcomprisingan operating spring 38, one end of which'is connected to astub shaft 39, journaled inthe' framework of the indicator, and theopposite end of which is connected to a crank disk .40 having on-itsouter face an eccentrically-arranged wrist pin 41, to which is connectedone end of an operating rod 42, the opposite end of which is connectedto the lower end of the shifting lever 16, whereby when the disk 40 isturned by the spring 38, the lever 16 will be rocked, thereby shiftingthe clutch 14 into engagement with one or the other of the gear wheels12 or 13, as hereinbefore described. a

The disk 40 is provided at};1 diametiiicall opposite omts in its eri erwit 1 o positel di sposed stop sl ioul ders 43 and 43:, with w. ich areadapted to be engaged upper and lower sto arms or bars 45 .and 46, saidstop arms or ars being provided with stop shoulders 47, which when thelevers are brought into proper position are adapted to be engaged withone orthe other of-said shoulders 43 or 44, thereby holding the disk Thestop arms or bars 45 and 46 are pivotally mounted at one end in theframework of the casing andare drawn together or into engagementwithithe periphery of the disk 40 by means of a coil spring 48, arrangedbetween the same, as shown. The inner edges of the arms 45 and 46,adjacent to the free ends of the same, are'provided withinwardly-projecting cam projections 49', with -which are adapted to beengaged operating The rollers 50 are mounted upon a pivotally-mountedlever 51, the lower end rollers 50'.

of which is connected to a lever 52,- by means of a connecting rod 53,as shown, The upper end of the lever 52 is pivotally-mounted upon a stubshaft 54, upon which is also mounted an operating disk 55, in- Which,adjacent to its outeredge, is forrhed a series of apertures 56. Anoperating pin or stud 57'is adapted to be placed in any one of theseapertures, which, when the disk is turned .in one direction or the otheris adapted to be brought into engagement with one side or the other ofthe operating lever 52, thereby rocking the same and the parts connectedthereto, which will bring one or the other of the rollers 50 on thelever 51 into engagement with the cam projections of either the upper orlower locking arm or bar 45 or 46, thereby forcing said arm outwardlyand disengagingthe shoulder 47 thereon from the notch 43 or 44 of thedisk 40, thereby releasing said disk and permitting the same to beturned by the spring 38 to the, distance of one half revolution of thedisk, said movement of the disk' actuating the shifting lever 16 throughthe rod 42. to shift the clutch member 1 4 into engagement with one orthe other of the beveled gears 12 or 13' on the shaft 10 of theoperating rollerl On the disk 40 is arranged an annular series of wormgear teeth 40, with which is adapted to be engaged a worm 41 on awinding shaft 42, which projects through the bottom of the casing and isprovided wit-h a suitable key or crank 43, by means of which the disk 40is turned to wind up the spring 38.

The disk 55 is provided with worm gear teeth 58, which are engaged by aworm 59 on a shaft 60, journaled in the framework of the indicator. ()nthe shaft 60, adjacent to one end of the same, is mounted a spur gearWheel 61, which is engaged by a similar gear wheel 62 on the shaft 10,whereby the motion of the shaft 10 is imparted to the shaft 60 to drivethe same. and the operating disk 55 of the reversing mechanism ashereinbefore described.

On the shaft of the upper winding roll 4, at one end of the same ismounted a spur gear pinion 63, which'is adapted to engage a spur gearwheel 64, mounted on the shaftof a winding drum 65, arranged in theupper portion of the indicator casing, as shown. ()n the adjacent endofthe shaft of the lower winding roll 5 is mounted a spur gear pinion 63,which is adapted to engage a-spur gear wheel 67 fixedly mounted on theshaft of a 'ating roller of the indicator.

lower winding drum 68. Connected to the drums 65 and 68 and adapted tobe wound on or off the same in opposite directions, .is a cord 69, bymeans of which motion from the roll from olf of which the indicatingapron is being wound will be imparted to the opposite roll to drive thesame, and thereby wind up the indicating apron as the same is beingunwound from the opposite roll by the oper- In the cord 69 is preferablyarranged a coiled tension spring 70, by means of which the cord is heldtaut and the winding rolls prevented from turning in the wrongdirection.

Arranged on the top of the casing, or in any other suitable position isan electric alarm bell 71, by means of which the attention of theoccupants of the car is directed to the indicator. The bell 71 isarranged in an electric circuit, the wires 72 of which are connected toa battery 7 3, or other suitable source of electric supply and tobinding posts 74 and 7 5, one of which is arranged on a suit ablebracket 76 and the other of which is arranged on theupper arm 77 of thebell-crank lever 28, whereby when said lever is actuated. by theelectro-magnet 31 to disengage the lug or detent 26 from the stop disk24, said arm 77 ofthe lever will be brought into engagement with thebracket 76, thereby completing the alarm bell circuit and sounding thebell. The electro-magnet 31 is supplied with electricity from batteries78 or any other suitable source of supply, and is controlled by means ofa switch or push button, not shown,

arranged in its circuit wires at any suitable point in the car, wherebyas the latter ap proaches a station or stopping place, the conductor oroperator of the car may start the operating mechanism of the indicator.

While we have shown and described the de vice as used for the purpose ofdisplaying the names of stations in a car, it is obvious that the samemay be used for displaying advertisements or other matter and arrangedin show windows and other places. From the foregoing description, takenin connection with the accompanying drawings, the construction andoperation of the inven tion will be readily understood without roquiringa more extended explanation.

Various changes in the form, proportion, and the minor details ofconstruction may be resorted to without departing from the principle orsacrificing any of the advantages of this invention, as defined by theappended claims.

llaving thus described our invention, what we claim as new, and desireto secure by Letters-Patent, is,-

1. In an announcing or station indicator for railways and street cars,the combination with a suitable casing,'of u iper and lower apronWinding rollsjourlmled therein, an indicating apron adapted tobe woundon and. off said rolls, an operating roller 1o move said apron in eitherdirection, a driving mechanism connected With'said roller, a governor toretard the movement of said driving mechanism, an electrically-actuatedcontrolling mechanism, a reversing mechanism, means toautomatically.control said reversing mechanism, spur' gear pinionsmounted on the shafts of said winding rolls,revolubly mounted windingdrums, spur gear wheels mounted on the shafts of said drums to engagethe spur gear pinions on said winding roll shafts, acord adapted to bewound on said drums in opposite directions, whereby the movement of oneroll will be imparted to the other, and a tension spring arranged insaid cord, substantially as described.

2. In an announcing or station indicator for railways and street cars,the combination with a casing, of a pair of apron winding rollsjournaled therein, an indicating a ron adapted to be wound on and offsaid rolls, an operating roller to move said apron in either di rection,beveled gears loosely mounted on the shaft of said roller, a clutchadapted to be shifted into engagement with one or the other of saidbeveled gears to lock the same into engagement with said shaft, adriving mechanism conneoted with said gears, whereby when the latter arelocked to the shaft, the same will be driven in one direction or theother, a

clutch-shifting mechanism, said. mechanism comprising arcvolubl'y-mounted disk, an eccentrically-mounted wrist pin arranged onsaid disk, a connecting rod to connect said 'wrist pin with the shiftinglever of said clutch, an operating spring connected to said disk,locking shoulders formed on the periphery of the latter, shouldered stopbars adapted to be engaged with one or the other of the shoulders onsaid disk to hold the same against movement, said bars being providedwith cam projections, a pivotally mounted releasing lever, releasingrollers on said lever to engage said cam projections, whereby when saidlever is rocked in one direction or the other, said bars will .bedisengaged from said disk, an operating lever connectedto' saidreleasing lever, a pivotally mounted operating disk having formedtherein a series of apertures, a lever-engaging pin ada )ted to beinserted. in one of said apertures, w hereby when said disk is turned,said pin will be engaged with one side or the other of said operatinglever to actuate the same and the releasing lever, a worm gear arrangedon said apeitured disk, a disk operating shaft having thereon a worm toengage said worm gear, a spur-gear on said shaft adapted to be en gagcdby a similar gear on the shaft of said operating roller, and meanswhereby the spring on said locking disk may be wound, substantially asdescribed.

3. In an announcing or station indicator for-railways and street cars,the combination set our hands inpresence oftwo subscribing with-'an'aperturedeasing, of an indicating Witnesses. apron mounted therein, a.roller for moving WILLIAM' S GUNTER said a ron in either direction,actuating 5 means or the roller, irovided with a clutch; a, Y WELTON'shouldered crank d' a rod connected there- 1 Witnesses to the signatureof W. S. Gunter: 'with for actuating the clutch, shouldered i EnNEsTHANSON, bars adapted to engege with said-disk, and 'OSOAR HANSON. meansfor. movingse d bars for releasingthe I Witnesses to the signature of O.E. Wel ton:

l0 disk. JOHN SCHULTZ,

In testimony whereof we have hereunto CHAS. CLIFTON.

